Osteospermum plant named ‘Duesumwhite’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Duesumwhite’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; Freely branching growth habit; freely and early flowering habit; and large inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Duesumwhite.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duesumwhite’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Osteospermum cultivars with uniform plant habit, early flowering and interesting floret coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2000 of two unknown selections of Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Rheinberg, Germany in June, 2002. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Duesumwhite has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duesumwhite’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duesumwhite’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; full and dense plants.     -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.     -   4. Large inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Pavlos, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Pavlos, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants         of the cultivar Pavlos.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum flowered about one week         earlier than plants of the cultivar Pavlos.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum had larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Pavlos.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duesumwhite’ grown in container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in Rheinberg, Germany, in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. Single plants were grown in 13-cm containers and pinched once about one week after planting. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures were about 18° C. and light levels were about 4,500 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical flowering plants about 16 weeks after planting.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar     Duesumwhite. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unknown selection of Osteospermum             ecklonis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Osteospermum             ecklonis, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant.             Compact and uniformly mounded plant habit; upright and             somewhat outwardly spreading; inverted triangle. Freely             branching, about seven primary lateral branches; dense and             full plants. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant width or area of spread.—About 14 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 6.6 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Glabrous, smooth. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 6.4 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Dentate; sinuses divergent.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface: Leathery;             pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Leathery; glabrous.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 144A. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B.             Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 144B. Petiole: Length:             About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color, upper surface: 144B to             144C. Color, lower surface: 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences held above             and beyond the foliage. Composite inflorescence form,             radially symmetrical, with ligulate-shaped ray florets and             disc florets massed at the center; ray and disc florets             arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face             upright or outwardly.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower continuous and freely from             the spring through the fall. Early flowering, plants begin             to flower about six weeks after planting.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three days on the plants.             Inflorescences not persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering; about 40 open             inflorescences and inflorescence buds per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About             6.3 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 137B and 144C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.75 cm. Disc diameter: About 7.25 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 3.8 mm. Receptacle height: About 4.3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 6.1 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             velvety. Orientation: Initially 30° from vertical, with             development, close to 60° from vertical. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 17 to 18 in a single whorl.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 155C.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Ground color,             97B; longitudinal stripes, close to 144A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.             Length: About 5 mm. Width: At apex: About 2 mm. At base:             Less than 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 50. Color: Immature: More gray than 94B. Mature: Apex:             97B. Mid-section: 155A. Base: 157A.         -   Phyllaries.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery. Number per             inflorescence: About 15 in a single whorl. Color, upper             surface: 137B to 137C. Color, lower surface: 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.7 cm.             Diameter: About 1.75 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Leathery. Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen number: Five per floret; fused around style.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             color: 96A to 96B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             23A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             number: One per floret. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma             shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 79A. Style length: About             3 mm. Style color: 79A. Ovary color: 144C.         -   Seed.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: 199A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     greenhouse or outdoor conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 5 to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Duesumwhite’, as illustrated and described. 